In charge of publication
DIRECTOR - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ASSO.PROF, DR. PHAM MINH TUAN
In charge of content
VICE DIRECTIOR - DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DR. DO QUANG DUNG
Copy editors:
MA. CU THI THUY LAN
MA NGUYEN THI HAI BINH
MA. HOANG THU QUYNH
LE THI HANG
MA. NGUYEN VIET HA
Book cover designer:
Digital pre-press specialist:
PHAM THUY LIEU
LAM THI HUONG
Proof-reader:
LE THI HANG
BICH LIEU
Publication Plan Registration No.: 2266-2021/CXBIPH/22-23/CTQG.
Publication Decision No.: 434-QĐ/NXBCTQG, 29/6/2021.
Code ISBN: 978-604-57-6907-2.
Completed and registered in July 2021.
National Library of Vietnam Cataloguing
in Publication Data
Read away your accent. - H. : ChÝnh trÞ Quèc gia, 2021. - 136 p. ;
22 cm
ISBN 9786045767429
1. English
2. Listening skill
4. pronunciation
5. Story
428.3 - dc23
3.
Speaking skills
CTK0301p-CIP
Copyright 2019 Charles Maggio & Laura Maggio
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
PUBLISHIER’S NOTES ............................................................................ 7
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 9
5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
Furnishing an Apartment Short /a/ sound as in apple ................. 13
The Bear “Attack” Short /e/ sound as in elephant ........................ 15
The Fish Prince Short /i/ as in igloo ............................................... 19
A Doll for Polly Short vowel /o/ sound as in octopus .................... 23
Monkey Trouble Short vowel /u/ sound as in umbrella ............... 25
6 VOWEL SOUNDS
Nate’s Interview Long /A/ sound as in cake ................................ 27
Christmas Eve in New York Long vowel /E/ sound as in feet ........ 31
Ireland Long /I/ sound as is pie ..................................................... 33
A Boat That Floats…(well, sometimes!) Long /O/ sound as in boat .....37
Future Universe Long /U/ sound as in mule ................................. 41
Out of the Blue Long /oo/ sound as in flew .................................. 45
18 CONSONANT SOUNDS
The Black Dog Consonant /b/ sound as in bat .............................. 49
A Cap for Good Luck Consonant /k/ as in cat and kite ................. 51
Dining Out Consonant /d/ sound as in dog ................................... 55
The Fishing Trip Consonant /f/ sound as in fan ............................ 57
Beach Glass Consonant /g/ sound as in glass ............................... 61
Happiness Consonant /h/sound as in hat ..................................... 63
Joy Consonant /j/ sound as in jam ................................................ 65
Animals, Animals, Animals Consonant /l/ sound as in lip ............ 67
Summer Magic Consonant /m/ sound as in map .......................... 69
The Bird’s Nest Consonant /n/ sound as in nest ........................... 71
5
Picking the Perfect Pet Consonant /p/ sound as in pig ................ 73
The Surprise Consonant /r/ sound as in rat .................................. 75
18 CONSONANT SOUNDS
How to Use the New York City Subway System
Consonant /s/sound as in sun ................................................... 77
Tim’s Tiny Turtle Consonant /t/ sound as in top .......................... 81
Avalon Consonant /v/ sound as in van ......................................... 83
Winter Wonderland Consonant /w/ sound as in wig ................... 85
Yes or No Consonant /y/ sound as in yell ..................................... 89
Sunrise at the Zoo Consonant /z/ sound as in zip ........................ 91
7 DIGRAPHS
Lucky Charm Digraph /ch/ sound as in chin ................................. 93
Sharks Digraph /sh/ sound as in ship ............................................ 95
South to Portsmouth Unvoiced/th/ sound as in thongs .............. 97
Voiced /th/ sound as in feather ..................................................... 97
“Wh” Questions and More! Digraph /hw/ sound as in whip ....... 99
Sing Digraph /ng/ sound as in wing ............................................ 103
Trip to the Bank Digraph /nk/ as in sink ..................................... 107
CONTROLLED VOWELS
The Circus Girl Controlled vowel /ur/ as in bird & hurt .............. 111
Going Far in a Car Controlled vowel /ar/ as in park ................... 115
The Short Storm Controlled vowel /or/ as in fork ...................... 117
3 DIPTHONGS
Boing, Boing, Boing Dipthong /oi/ sound as in oil and boy ........ 121
Owl at Evening Dipthong /ow/ sound as in ouch ....................... 123
Learning to Cook Dipthong /oo/ as in book and pull .................. 125
2 SPECIAL SOUNDS
Naughty Paul Special sound /-aw/ as in jaw and haul ............... 129
A Trip to Asia Special sound /zh/ as in television ....................... 133
6
PUBLISHER’S NOTES
English is one of the most popular languages and is used widely
in the world. In today’s integration, English communication is
increasingly developed and essential for everyone. However, in
the learning journey, it’s challenging for many people to listen
and speak English, especially in pronunciation, making them
unconfident and embarrassed when communicating with
foreigners.
With the desire to help readers have more tools to practice their
English pronunciation skills, National Political Publishing
House publishes the book named Read Away Your Accent,
written by Charles Maggio and Laura Maggio. The book’s
content includes the stories written in English - American style,
using many common phrases and idioms close to daily life, it’s
not academic at all, which helps readers listen and read with
audio version available online at the book’s website
http://readawayyour accent.com/read/).
With the shadowing method - learning language by listening
and repeating material right after that, learners will fully feel the
level, intonation, rhythm, and especially the speed of native
speakers. This will not only help learners practice speaking and
7
READ AWAY YOUR ACCENT
pronunciation skills but also enhance listening comprehension
skills to become more confident in English communication.
We sincerely recommend the book to readers!
April 2021
National Political Publishing House
8
INTRODUCTION
“Read Away Your Accent” was developed to help you
reduce your accent, not to eliminate it. There is nothing
wrong with speaking English with an accent, except when
native English speakers cannot understand what you are
saying.
“Read Away Your Accent” will help you master the 44
sounds of the English language. Each of the short stories
focuses on one sound, which is indicated next to the
story’s title. While you should practice all of the sounds,
some will be more challenging than others, depending on
your native language.
Practicing with “Read Away Your Accent” enables you to
practice in the privacy of your own space, without anyone
listening. No need to feel embarrassed or self-conscious,
as you practice the sounds of English. Also, learning to
say the sounds while reading each text enables you to
speak more fluently, rather than studying each sound in
isolation.
The stories used in “Read Away Your Accent” were
written in casual English, not academic English. These
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READ AWAY YOUR ACCENT
stories include many idiomatic expressions and colloquial
American English phrases, which will help you speak
more naturally and fluently. Over time, you will achieve
more native-like, American-English speaking ability.
Unlike most books, “Read Away Your Accent” should be
read over and over…not just one time. First read the
stories one at a time silently. Then listen to the audio of
that story, listening for the speaker’s pronunciation,
pauses, inflection, etc. Your goal should be to replicate
the speaker’s version, so that you can read along at the
same time the speaker is reading. Your version should
sound just like the speaker’s. (It’s a good idea to look up
new words!)
NOTE: The font used for the stories in “Read Away Your
Accent” is large, so that reading the stories many times
will be easier on your eyes!
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INTRODUCTION
SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THIS BOOK
This book is not only to be read once, but needs to be
read over and over... and then read some more. A person
who is truly committed to improving his/her pronunciation
of the English language needs to spend a lot of time on each
“sound story”. Here is a suggested plan:
1. Read a sound story to yourself, silently. (Not out loud.)
2. Look up any words/expressions that are not familiar to
you. (Google translate is a terrific tool!)
3. Listen to the audio version of the sound story, while
silently reading the text. (Note: Pay particular attention
to the pronunciation, pauses, intonation, inflection,
and above all rhythm of the audio text. This is
ESSENTIAL!)
4. Once you feel comfortable with all of the above, then
read along with the audio text. This practice is known
as “shadowing”. At first, you may prefer to stop the
audio after each sentence, or rewind the audio and
listen again. As you are doing this in the privacy of your
own space, there is no need to feel self-conscious. By
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READ AWAY YOUR ACCENT
practicing this method, you will, over time, improve
your ability to communicate more easily in English and
be immediately understood!
Please don’t despair! Reducing an accent takes time,
determination, and WORK! If being clearly understood
when you speak English is important to you, then “Read
Away Your Accent” can be a very useful tool. There’s no
magic... just hard work.
After you feel comfortable with your ability to replicate
the sound stories in “Read Away Your Accent”, and all
the 44 phonemes of English, you may want to try
searching YouTube for songs with on-screen lyrics, and
start to ‘sing away your accent’!
Another method is to get an audio book of short stories
with the accompanying text, and shadow each story as
you previously learned to do with the stories in “Read
Away Your Accent”.
12
5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
FURNISHING AN
APARTMENT
Short /a/ sound as in apple
Congratulations! You have finally found the apartment of
your dreams. Now you have to furnish and decorate your
place to your liking. Apartments in large cities are usually
small and expensive, but with some time and effort, you
can make your place reflect your personal style and still
stay within your budget. If your apartment comes
furnished, then you can add your own individual touches
to make it more personal in style. If your apartment is
unfurnished, then you have some shopping to do!
Some things you will need to acquire will be furniture,
lamps, kitchen items, bathroom accessories, dinnerware
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READ AWAY YOUR ACCENT
and flatware. Sofas come in a large assortment of
patterns, such as plaids, florals, and solid colors. Table
lamps also come in many styles and sizes. Your shopping
can be done in either high-end markets, department
stores or in discount warehouses. Check for sales on
needed items in newspapers and online, and also look for
coupons to save you cash. Yard sales and garage sales may
also surprise you with amazing treasures–who knows–
you might just find that perfect salad bowl at a tag sale! A
little dab of paint, an adorable cat lamp, and a cozy lap
blanket may make your new apartment feel brand new.
Most importantly, furnish your new pad with things that
make you smile, laugh, and feel at home in your new
abode!
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5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
THE BEAR “ATTACK”
Short /e/ sound as in elephant
Two of my friends and I planned to take a trip into the
woods to go camping for a few days. We wanted to spend
some time relaxing, before the school year began. We
brought more than just the basic supplies, including a
tent, bed rolls, mess kits, cellphones, flashlights, bread,
eggs, cereal, power bars, etc. We thought we had planned
it well enough and that things would go smoothly.
When we arrived at the campgrounds, we put my car into
the parking lot and walked to the area designated for
camping. It was going to be a camping trip, but not into
the wilderness, as there would be facilities to make things
less difficult. Where we were headed, there was a medical
station, restrooms, and a welcome desk, where they gave
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READ AWAY YOUR ACCENT
out information and maps of hiking trails. However, there
was no store that sold food. The one surprise was the
warning that we received about bears. They told us it was
very important to be careful to not leave any food, or
food garbage out, as there were brown bears living in
these woods. We rolled our eyes thinking that they were
being dramatic and overly cautious.
We proceeded to set up camp, and after about an hour of
getting all set up, we had a sense of accomplishment,
knowing that everything was taken care of. After the work
of getting set up in the heat of the sun, we decided to use
the map we were given, and to hike one of the nearby
trails. It was a lovely, tree-lined path, not too steep, but
not flat. Just perfect–enough of a challenge to make it
interesting, but not an exhausting workout. When we
returned from the hike a couple of hours later, we made a
campfire, cooked up some hotdogs, ate, and decided to
turn in.
In the middle of the night, outside of our tent we heard
footsteps that we knew were not made by a person. These
were definitely animal steps! We peered outside from the
tent to see a bear walking about, looking for something to
eat. We thought our provisions were kept far enough
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5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
away from the tent, in what we thought was a “safe”
cooler. However, the bear was persistent, able to open the
cooler, and helped himself to almost all of the food we
had brought for the entire trip. Luckily, that was enough
food to keep the bear happy, and we watched as he
lumbered away from our tent area.
The next morning, not having much food left, we packed
up all of our things and set off for home. While it was a
short trip, it was certainly an eye-opening one, and the
next time we went camping, we knew enough to keep the
food in the trunk of the car, even though it meant a long
walk after eating. At least we never experienced another
“bear attack” after that one time.
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5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
THE FISH PRINCE
Short /i/ as in igloo
Many children love to have bedtime stories read to them,
and many of these stories are fairy tales about a prince
and a princess. One of these is about the Fish Prince,
which is an Indian folktale. The story goes like this...
Once upon a time there was a king and queen who had
no children, which made the queen very sad. One day
some fish were brought to the palace kitchen to be
cooked for dinner, which was a very common occurrence.
Among the fish was one unlike anything the cook had
ever seen. Its scales sparkled with all the colors of the
rainbow, and its head had a mark which looked like a
golden crown. Just as the chef was about to cook the fish,
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the fish began to speak! The chef decided that this fish
was too special to be cooked, so he put it in a small tank
of water, thinking that this fish would make the queen
very happy.
The queen was indeed very happy with the fish and she
loved to watch it move quickly around the tank, showing
off its beautiful colors. She became so in love with the fish
that she named it “The Fish Prince”, and called it her son.
As the fish grew bigger and bigger, he no longer fit in the
small tank he was in, so the queen ordered that a huge
tank be built for the Fish Prince to swim in. The queen
would always carry some rice with her, and the fish would
jump up from the tank to eat out of the queen’s hand.
But one day the queen went to the tank and the beloved
Fish Prince was not moving. His colors were very dull
and he would not eat the rice that she brought for him.
“Oh, my dear son, are you sick?” He answered, “I am not
sick, but I am so lonely.” The queen decided to have
another very large tank built and had the workmen put it
next to the Fish Prince’s tank. Then she had her subjects
look all over the kingdom for a girl to marry her son.
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5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
After a great amount of searching, they found the perfect
girl, but she did not want to marry the big Fish Prince,
because she was afraid of him. The girl decided to ask
Father Cobra, a wise man/snake, for advice. Father
Cobra was a seven-headed snake, who lived with his wife
and his children near the bank of the river. Father Cobra
told the girl, whose name was Balna, that the fish was not
an ordinary fish, but was a handsome prince, who was
being punished by the gods for having offended them. As
punishment, he was turned into a fish. Father Cobra gave
Balna three stones and told her to go into the tank next to
the tank of the Fish Prince and during the night to throw
one of the stones at the fish every time he went near her.
After throwing the third stone, the spell was broken and
the Fish Prince turned back into a handsome human
prince.
The handsome human prince told her that she had saved
both of their lives and now they could marry and live
together as husband and wife. There was great rejoicing
in the whole kingdom, and the Fish Prince, who was now
a man prince, and Balna, the beautiful princess, were
married and lived happily ever after.
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5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
A DOLL FOR POLLY
Short vowel /o/ sound as in octopus
“Polly!”, called Mom, “Get up now! We ought to get an
early start for our shopping trip today.” Eight year old
Polly popped out of bed and got dressed quickly in her
new orange frock. She gobbled down her corn flakes,
popped on her scarf with the frog on it, and hopped into
the car with her mom. This was a big shopping day for
Polly–she was going to pick out a special new doll today.
Polly and Mom’s first stop was a very large toy mart.
They spotted the doll aisle and saw there were many to
choose from. One doll was pretty, with long blond hair,
twisted to look like an octopus. But it wasn’t the exact
type of doll Polly sought. So they left that store and
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headed to the mall. Once at the mall, they fought their
way through the crowd to the top floor. There were two
toy stores in the mall, but neither had the right doll for
Polly. So onward they went again.
This time they drove into a nearby small town and found
a little toy shop there. “Oh!” exclaimed Polly, “Look
Mom, that’s exactly what I want!” There on a top shelf
was a doll that looked just like Polly, with soft locks of
long blond hair and brown eyes. Polly loved the doll’s
frock covered with stars and her twinkly charm bracelet.
“I’m so happy you spotted her”, said Mom. They paid for
the doll and headed to a diner for a quick meal, where
Polly ordered her favorite coleslaw. Mom reminded Polly
to keep the doll away from her baby brother, Tommy, as
he might maul her! “What will you name your doll?”
asked Mom? Polly thought for a moment and said,
“Honestly, I would like to name her Swan, because she is
so lovely.” Mom smiled and they started home with their
perfect purchase.
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5 SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS
MONKEY TROUBLE
Short vowel /u/ sound as in umbrella
Spuds and Buddy were two rambunctious monkeys who
lived in a zoo enclosure that resembled a beautiful jungle.
Spuds was a full-grown adult and Buddy was a younger
adult. Their keepers, Umberto and Ulrich, called them
“double trouble” because they were always pulling crazy
stunts on each other and on their keepers. For example,
when Spuds was trying to sleep in the warm sunshine,
Buddy would bust him with a dull thud of his hand, just
to wake Spuds up. Spuds would wake up with a start and
then bust Buddy back. Spuds would try to find a new
sleeping spot in their little hut, just to be alone, but
Buddy would always hunt him down and bother him.
Thus, there was no rest for the weary Spuds!
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One time, Spuds decided to get back at Buddy. Instead of
filling his mug with water from the hose in their little
jungle, Spuds lugged the hose near Buddy, spun around,
and doused him with cold water. Buddy was stunned and
tried to run, but ended up tripping over their bathtub,
which was full of sudsy water. Buddy tried to get out of
the sudsy tub, but ended up tipping it over, causing a big,
soapy flood. Both monkeys just looked at each other and
starting howling, because to them, this was very funny. As
they began to rub soapy water all over each other,
Umberto and Ulrich came by to see the unusual sight.
Both agreed that Spuds and Buddy were two nuts and
were definitely “double trouble”!
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6 VOWEL SOUNDS
NATE’S INTERVIEW
Long /A/ sound as in cake
Nate, who is an ace tennis player, often loses track of
time. Although a very good student at college, he
sometimes gets so involved with what he is doing that he
forgets everything else. His dad says jokingly, “Nate often
gets lost in space!” No one is ever surprised when Nate
shows up late. They just roll their eyes. Today, however,
is different... he just cannot be late!
Nate will be graduating from college in a few months and
he needs to make sure that he secures a space in the
summer internship program at a local attorney’s office.
Nate plans to go to law school after college and the
attorney in town allows future lawyers to work in his
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office during the summer breaks from school. He does
put them through their paces, even though it is an unpaid
position. It is a great way to help learn about how law
really works, and if an intern does a good job, there is a
chance that the law firm will give that person a job, once
they have earned their law degree.
“Nate has been interested in law ever since he was a
baby”, his mother sometimes says. The truth is that for
Nate, studying law never gets stale. He spends much of
his free time reading about law, criminal trials, and
articles about how the legal system works.
Therefore, today is very important for Nate to make a
good impression on the attorney who will be interviewing
him. Lately, he has been role-playing this interview in his
mind, imagining the questions he will be asked, and what
he will say in response. He wants this internship so much
he could practically taste it!
Nate got ready, making sure to be on time. He got a
haircut yesterday, put on his best suit, and spent much
more time than usual in front of the mirror. His aim was
to be sure he looked his best. On the drive to the
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6 VOWEL SOUNDS
interview, Nate was thinking about how the interview
would go. He knew he would do his best to secure a place
as an intern. As he got out of the car he thought to
himself, “Well, I have prepared as much as I could, and
now it’s in the hands of fate!”
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6 VOWEL SOUNDS
CHRISTMAS EVE
IN NEW YORK
Long vowel /E/ sound as in feet
Most New Yorkers agree that it’s a real treat to be in New
York City on Christmas Eve. We are always eager to take
a leisurely stroll to see the beautiful sights like the really
huge tree in Rockefeller Center, the lovely wreaths on the
doors and ceilings, the dreamy store windows and the
shiny lights that seem to weave like radiant stars up and
down the busy streets. The snowy sidewalks may tempt
you to try to ski along the roads. It’s nothing like sunny
Phoenix would be in the winter!
People are in a merry mood, and seem eager to equally
spread and receive both good cheer and feelings of peace.
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For recreation, you may be eager to seek out a neat show
at Radio City Music Hall that guarantees to be another
treat. During the Christmas season, these shows feature a
holiday theme, complete with singing, dancing and a
brief, but sweet, Nativity scene. Young and old will squeal
with delight, as it is an unbelievable sight to see!
If a holiday shopping spree is something you need to
achieve, there is no region superior to New York City.
Depending on how much money you want to spend, you
can find things that are really cheap, very dear, or roughly
in between. Later you may feel like seeking out a
convenient place to eat. Whether it be a fancy eatery for a
lengthy feast or a speedy meal from a dealer on an
intriguing street corner, there is always something to
meet everyone’s needs. After spending a delightful time
in New York City on Christmas Eve, we guarantee you’ll
want to return again. It is the key to a wonderful holiday
experience!
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IRELAND
Long /I/ sound as in pie
Ireland is an island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean,
separated from Great Britain by the North Channel, Irish
Sea and St. George’s Channel. Ireland is the third largest
island in Europe.
The island’s geography is made up of low-lying
mountains, surrounding a central plain. Because of its
mild climate, the country of Ireland has lush vegetation.
The major crops grown in Ireland are wheat, oats and
barley, all important grains. These are, of course, used in
the making of Irish beer, which is famous world-wide.
Many people love an ice cold beer when the weather is
hot... perfect! Especially an Irish beer in Dublin! Apples,
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strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, loganberries and
raspberries are also grown in Ireland. These can all be
used to make great pies, which are another specialty from
Ireland.
Dublin, which is Ireland’s capital city, has many ideal
things to see and do. The Liffey River runs right through
the city and has many walkable bridges for people to
cross. These bridges might remind some people of Paris.
There are, of course, too many sights to name them all,
but there is a must-see spot in Dublin known as Trinity
College.
Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, Trinity College is
a lovely place of peace and beauty. It is Ireland’s oldest
educational institution and is the best in terms of
rankings. Actually, there was an older university, built in
1311, which was called The Medieval University of
Dublin, but it ran out of funds and disappeared during
the Protestant Reformation.
Trinity College boasts famous alumni, such as Oscar
Wilde and Samuel Beckett, who were both literary
personalities. Several well-known political figures such as
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6 VOWEL SOUNDS
Theobald Wolfe Tone, Henry Grattan and President
Mary Robinson were also Trinity graduates.
There is a funny story about Trinity College, which has
to do with a superstition and involves the campanile
(bell tower). The bell tower was added in 1853 and
stands over 100 feet tall. Tourists love to see the tower,
but students are very cautious due to a superstition
which says that any student who is unfortunate enough
to pass underneath the bell tower while the bell is tolling,
will fail their college exams. So students make sure not to
walk underneath the campanile!
Trinity College was not always in the city center as it is
today, but it was once located outside and to the east of
the walled city of Dublin. The campus is a mix of classical
and contemporary buildings, and Sunday morning is the
best time to visit. On Sunday morning you can walk
around with few crowds to detract from the beauty of the
college. Include a visit to Ireland in your future travel
plans!
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6 VOWEL SOUNDS
A BOAT THAT FLOATS…
(WELL, SOMETIMES!)
Long /O/ sound as in boat
Years ago, when I was in high school, my goal was to own
a boat. Boats, I thought, we’re cool to have, great fun
during the New York summers and good transportation,
too! That is, of course, if the boat would float!
New boats were very expensive, so I decided to buy a
used boat. While new boats are pristine and beautiful, a
fresh coat of paint could make a used boat look like a
show piece! After a lot of searching for the perfect boat, I
found a 17 foot fishing boat in white and turquoise,
which I thought would look great! The outboard motor
was only 50 horse power, but I wasn’t planning on boat
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racing, so that didn’t matter. A friend who knew a lot
about boats came with me, and agreed that this would be
a fine boat to own. After buying the boat, motor and
trailer, we brought it back to my house to show my
family. Everyone jumped for joy at the promise of
spending the summer on the Great South Bay of Long
Island.
I spent the next few weeks working on the boat, getting it
ready for its “maiden voyage”. It had a fresh coat of paint,
newly upholstered turquoise seat covers, and the newly
refinished natural wood deck shone like a new copper
penny. The boat was therefore named “Penny” and was
all set to go.
My friends and I trailered the boat to the south shore of
Long Island, in order to launch it from Bay Shore,
which is a town on the Great South Bay directly across
from Fire Island. Shortly after we put the boat in the
water, it sprang an unexpected (and unwanted!) leak
and began to slowly take on water. We quickly started
to bail out the water and got the boat back to shore, retrailered it, and brought it back to my garage. We found
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the small hole, patched it securely, and soon it was
ready to be launched again.
Thankfully, that was the last problem we had with the
boat and we used it during the remaining two summers of
high school. After that, I started college and worked parttime, so I no longer had that much free time, even in the
summers. I sold the boat. It was fun while it lasted and I
have great memories of the boat that at first wouldn’t
float.
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FUTURE UNIVERSE
Long /U/ sound as in mule
For almost as long as people have been on earth, many
have wondered about how things would be in the future
universe. There are many authors who have written about
the future and out of this came the genre of
books/stories/films known as science fiction, commonly
called sci-fi. The Brave New World, Starship Troopers
and Dune are just a few examples.
During the two years, 1964-1965, New York City hosted
the World’s Fair, the theme of which was “The World of
Tomorrow”, or what life would be like in the year 2000.
The World’s Fair was part theme park, part museum. It
posed the question, “What new inventions would be
available to humans who were to live in the future?” They
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predicted flying cars, humans living in outer space and
telephones that would enable you to see the person you
were talking to. Of course, some of these predictions
came true, but many are still years away.
The symbol of the 1964-65 World’s Fair was a giant
stainless steel globe, showing all seven continents. The
globe named “The Unisphere” still stands on the original
site in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, where the
World’s Fair was held. You should Google the Unisphere
to see a picture of this beautiful steel sculpture, built to
represent “Peace Through Understanding”, the motto of
the World’s Fair. It is known as the symbol of a peaceful
and happy tomorrow.
Many people still ponder the future. Will there be cures
for many of the diseases that exist today? How will
humans live and what will their homes look like? Will
humans take rockets to other planets the way we take
planes to other countries?
Surely no one knows for sure what the future will bring.
We have come a long way from the days when people
thought the earth was shaped like a cube and not the
sphere as we know it to be. Today we can go to sleep in
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New York City and wake up in Asia. Will that be true of
travel to distant planets in the future? Although no one is
sure about what the future will bring, it is fun thinking
about what will happen many years from now. It’s
interesting to think about the future of the universe and
the impact on human beings and the planet Earth!
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OUT OF THE BLUE
Long /oo/ sound as in flew
My friend, Sue, an ESL teacher was planning a trip to
Hawaii to celebrate her birthday. Her friend, Suzanne,
was going, too. They were both excited about the trip,
especially Sue, who would actually turn 30 on the big
island of Hawaii. As the school year was ending in two
days, Sue and Suzanne planned to fly to Hawaii as soon as
the school year ended.
As planned, Sue and Suzanne arrived in Hawaii and were
surprised when the agent who met them said there was a
threemast sloop waiting to take them to their hotel,
which was on a tiny island off of the big island. The trip
was already turning into an adventure, as they had never
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been on that type of boat before. Shortly after they
arrived at their hotel, they changed into their bathing
suits, and we’re soon lying near the hotel’s luxurious pool.
This trip was already showing signs of being a great
adventure.
Sue was hoping to spend her 30th birthday relaxing, as the
school year had been pretty hectic. Truthfully, she was
having difficulty with the thought of no longer being in
her 20’s! She felt she wasn’t yet ready to start the process
of “adulting”. Suzanne was great about encouraging Sue
whenever she noticed Sue looking sad or sullen. Suzanne
was terrific about lightening the mood, however, the best
was yet to come!
After swimming in the pool, getting dressed and having a
relaxing dinner in the hotel, the two friends decided to go
to sleep early, as the trip, plus wine with dinner, was
pretty tiring and they were both pooped. The following
day was Sue’s actual birthday, so she wanted to be
refreshed for that, even though she knew nothing special
was planned. They both fell asleep as soon as their heads
hit the pillows.
The girls planned to take the sloop back to the big island
and to do some shopping in the Kona area, which is
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famous for its amazing shops that everyone said just blew
them away! They heard there were fantastic clothing
shops, stores that sold things made from Koa wood,
which is beautiful wood found only in Hawaii. They knew
the name of a good waterfront restaurant someone had
recommended and planned to have lunch there. So, after
some successful shopping, they headed to the restaurant.
Once there they asked for a table facing the water.
Out of the blue, and right on cue, six of Sue’s and
Suzanne’s school colleagues appeared at the table the
waiter escorted them to. Sue was genuinely surprised, but
Suzanne was, of course, the one who did the planning.
Once Sue knew what was going on, she couldn’t believe
how well Suzanne hid the surprise from her. That wasn’t
the end of the surprises, though. There were tours, shows
and all kinds of adventures planned for the birthday girl.
This was not going to be the relaxing vacation Sue had
thought about, but was even better, as it took her mind
off turning 30.
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18 CONSONANT SOUNDS
THE BLACK DOG
Consonant /b/ sound as in bat
The blaring blast of the booming bell signaled the end of
the school day for Brandon and his two best friends, Bart
and Bobby. The boys bolted out into the bright spring
sunshine and began the brief walk home. They were
neighbors and lived very close by to each other. As they
were walking and talking boisterously, Brandon thought
he heard a bizarre little sound in the blue hydrangea
bushes that were just beyond the schoolyard. “Listen”, he
said to his buddies, “Do you hear something in the
shrubbery?” Both of the other boys came to an abrupt
stop and listened as well. “There’s some kind of sobbing
sound coming from beyond there”, said Bart. “Let’s
observe what’s making that bleating noise!”, agreed
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Bobby. The boys carefully parted the branches and
discovered what was making the bothersome hubbub. It
was a beautiful Black Lab puppy!
“I think he’s stuck”, said Brandon. “Let’s help him break
free and establish that he’s all right.” They liberated the
bawling baby dog and carried him briskly to Brandon’s
nearby home. Brandon showed the Black Lab puppy to
his parents, who corroborated that he was just scared,
and not bruised or broken. “Can we keep him? Please,
Please!”, begged Brandon. Brandon’s parents put an ad in
the neighborhood paper and signs around several blocks,
but nobody claimed the puppy. “I guess he’s our beautiful
bouncing boy now”, said Brandon’s father. “What should
we name him? We can’t keep calling him ‘Black Dog’!”
Brandon had given the puppy’s name considerable
thought and bellowed, “Dad, his name should be Bo, after
your favorite musician, Bo Diddley. Do you believe you
like that name?” Brandon’s dad bobbed his head and said,
“I absolutely approve!” Brandon and Bo stumbled
happily outside to broadcast the fabulous news to Bart
and Bobby. Bo now belonged to Brandon and was the
best dog ever!
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A CAP FOR GOOD LUCK
Consonant /k/ as in cat and kite
Back in college, my best friend Kenny liked to play
baseball and joined the men’s baseball team. He was
actually a very good baseball player and was the catcher
for the team. His father Carl, had also been a baseball
player, and had made it to the minor leagues when he was
Kenny’s age. Like many baseball players, Kenny wore a
baseball cap that he insisted was the reason they won so
many games. It was his lucky cap, he’d always say.
As time went by, Kenny, doing better and better for the
team, figured that the cap was not just lucky for baseball.
He started to wear the cap everywhere he went. After a
while, people started teasing him about it, asking if he was
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going bald, and was the cap a cover for his “secret”? It
wasn’t though, as Kenny had a full crop of hair. He just
believed that the cap was his lucky charm.
One day, some of Kenny’s friends asked us if we wanted
to go out on their motor boat in the big river behind the
college. We said, “Sure!”, and soon we were off cruising
the river. It started out a beautiful day, but an
unforecasted storm was approaching and the wind really
picked up. All of a sudden, a very powerful wind gust
blew by and snapped Kenny’s cap right off his head. Try
as hard as we did, we couldn’t catch the cap and it was
soon gone, carried by the powerful winds. Kenny thought
he was going to be sick. He couldn’t believe that his lucky
cap was lost forever.
No one spoke as we made our way back to campus, but
everyone was thinking the same thing–about Kenny’s
cap. When we arrived back at the starting point where we
had left the car, everyone just parted with a very quick
“goodbye”. None of the usual teasing and silly jokes. No
one felt like talking. Three days later the baseball
championship game would be played and everyone
wondered, was the cap really the cause of Kenny’s good
luck? Time would tell.
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On the day of the game, we all thought that Kenny would
be wearing a new cap to replace “ol’ lucky”, as Kenny
fondly referred to his “now missing” cap. However, that
was not the case. Many people didn’t recognize Kenny at
first, until he took his catcher’s position. The head of hair
they had forgotten he had was the reason. The game was
close, but Kenny’s team did win and Kenny felt very
relieved. He finally had to admit that it was his skills that
helped win the game, and not the cap that he thought
brought good luck.
He did, however, buy a new cap!
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18 CONSONANT SOUNDS
DINING OUT
Consonant /d/ sound as in dog
Dining out is one of the most delightful things to do.
Whether it be with Mom and Dad, sisters or brothers, a
date or with dear friends, dining out provides not only a
break from cooking at home, but also a time to try new
types of foods, if you dare!
Cities offer the largest selection of diverse types of foods
that you can try, though suburban and rural areas now do
as well. Italian restaurants offer delicious types of pasta,
and a wide variety of fish and meat dishes, too. Add a
chilled bottle of wine and your meal will be even more
delightful. Dining at a French restaurant will persuade
you to try rich, dense sauces that add amazing, decadent
flavor to any dish. Asian cuisine delivers distinct flavors to
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their food through the use of tasty spices and seasonings
that deliver rich boldness to their dishes. Try some
delectable noodle soup with seafood and mixed
vegetables, and your stomach will be filled with warm,
amazing goodness!
Casual dining is also available in almost all destinations.
Fastfood restaurants are found in practically every town
you find. You can grab a quick hamburger and fries,
hotdogs, pizza and many other goodies practically
anywhere. Many fast-food places even provide special
smaller meals for kids, which they find just “delish”! It’s
important to watch your food choices though, and make
sure you eat a balanced diet that suits your body’s needs
and keeps you healthy. With all the different types of
foods available, it should be easy to make good food
choices, while still having delectable dishes that keep
your tummy filled!
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THE FISHING TRIP
Consonant /f/ sound as in fan
One fine Friday summer afternoon, Fiona’s father Joseph
decided to take the family fishing. “Go find your sister,
Franny”, said Father, “The weather is so delightful that
we don’t want to waste the afternoon.” Fiona asked
Father if her cousin Christopher could come along as
well. “Call him on the telephone and make sure his
parents say he can come with us–we don’t want him to
miss out on the fun.” Christopher had permission to join
Fiona’s family and helped them fill Father’s fire engine
red Ford Fiesta with all the fishing gear.
After a short drive, they finally arrived at their favorite
dock, which they frequented often. The dock was near a
sandy cliff covered with scruffy pine trees. The children
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helped Father lift all the fishing gear out of the Ford and
loaded it into the small skiff Father had rented for the
afternoon. Father helped Fiona, Franny and Christopher
bait their hooks, using his fishing knife to cut each one
half a worm to feed to the fish. Franny wanted a whole
worm, but Father felt that half a worm was enough.
Before Father could bait all the hooks, Fiona felt a tug on
her line and quickly pulled up a flopping, fat flounder.
Shortly after, Christopher had a fish on his line, and then
Franny followed. Father could barely keep up with all the
baiting and fish removal! Before long they had a
bucketful of flounder. With all the fun they were having,
no one noticed the rainfall starting to pound down on
them, and that the flow of the water had caused them to
drift further out to sea. Father told the children they had
to head for shore, but the kids wanted to finish their
fishing day. Finally they fled back to shore, returned the
skiff, and got back into the Ford to head for home.
Soaking wet but fabulously happy, the three children and
Father were met at the door by Franny’s and Fiona’s
mother, Phyllis. Standing with her arms crossed and
frowning, she furrowed her eyebrows and furiously
growled at Father, “Joseph, I was so fearful! It’s pouring
outside! You were gone for a frightfully long time! Why
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didn’t you notify me to let me know you were safe?!”
Father felt his pocket and realized he had forgotten to
bring his cell phone. “Forgive me, dear Phyllis! We didn’t
mean to frighten you! Next time I promise not to forget
my phone. Did you see all the fine flounder we caught
today?” With that, Phyllis laughed and said, “You are all
forgiven. I’m looking forward to a wonderful fish fry feast
tonight!”
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BEACH GLASS
Consonant /g/ sound as in glass
Walking along the graceful curve of a beach shoreline can
garner many advantages. The gentle lapping of the waves
generates a calming, relaxing mood and helps alleviate
damaging stress. Looking out at the green or blue water
gives the mind a break from the ongoing grind of
everyday life. But don’t just glance at the water, gaze
down at the ground as well, for there are generous
treasures to be gathered there. Gorgeous seashells,
strange rocks and glistening beach glass can be gathered
on most any beach.
Beach, or sea, glass is a popular thing sought out by eager
collectors. It is most generally found in areas that brag a
rich history, or where age-old galleons were submerged
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ages ago. Broken shards of glass are tumbled by gentle or
gigantic waves, softening their edges and giving the glass
a smooth glow. Beach glass comes in a huge hodgepodge
of colors, more than you could ever guess. They range
from the common grass greens, ghostly egg whites and
ginger browns to the rare outrageous oranges, regal reds
and golden yellows that are tough to find. There are
many strategies for rummaging for beach glass, one of
which is the methodology of zigzagging back and forth
across the ground. Rocky, pebbly beaches often garner
the most glass, as the small pieces can get caught amongst
the stones or under gnarled, gnawed logs of driftwood.
The glint of the glass in the sun will be a sign that it is
indeed glass, and not a stone or rock. Bring a bag for the
storage of your treasures, sunglasses to block the sun’s
glare, and good walking shoes to guard against fatigue.
Gaze down at the ground and make a game of challenging
yourself to gain new pieces every time you go gathering.
Beach glass collectors can never seem to get enough! You
may want to catalogue your findings in a log as well. No
one can argue about the intrigue of snagging such
colorful treasures that man and nature have so generously
scattered for sea glass gatherers to conglomerate and
delight in.
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HAPPINESS
Consonant /h/sound as in hat
Hannah and Harvey were meeting their best friends
Hilary and Howie for dinner that night at one of their
favorite teahouses in Harlem. Both couples had agreed to
meet at six o’clock and wanted to de-stress after having
had harrowing days at work. As they entered the
teahouse, the handsome host with the highlighted blond
hair asked them whose name the reservation was under.
Hannah said it was under hers, and they were seated
posthaste. “It’s so good to finally sit down and relax”, said
Howie, “Work has just been so hard on me lately.”
Hannah, Harvey and Hilary all heartily agreed. “Instead
of rehashing all of our work headaches and heartaches,
let’s all come up with one thing that makes us feel truly
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happy”, suggested Hilary. “That’s hunky-dory!”, hollered
Howie. “Who wants to go first?”, Hilary said she would as
it was her idea.
“Happiness to me is a walk along the beach, enjoying the
hazy sunshine and hoping to find some sea glass”, said
Hilary. “All my apprehension about my job just seems to
disappear.” Hannah offered to go next and said, “For me,
I am most happy holding the hand of my wonderful
husband Harvey and just snuggling on the couch in our
house.” “Ha-ha!” said Harvey, “I heartily agree, just add
in a heaping bowl of hot wings and that’s what makes me
truly happy!” Everyone had a good laugh and then turned
to Howie for his definition of happiness. “What makes
me honestly happy is just what we have right here, right
now–hanging out with my beautiful wife and wonderful
friends fills my heart with happiness and makes all the
harassment at work seem less heavy.” “Here’s to being
happy!” The four friends all heartily agreed.
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JOY
Consonant /j/ sound as in jam
Joy: jubilation, great pleasure, joyfulness, enjoyment,
happiness, joie de vivre.
• Joy can be found in simple things or in majestic
happenings.
• Joy can be the first dandelion emerging in the lawn
after a long, frigid winter.
• Joy is watching the jays and juncos jockeying and jumping
for position at the edge of the birdbath for a drink.
• Joy is welcoming home a soldier with a badge for
courage.
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• Joy is rejoicing in becoming a parent when you had
just about given up.
• Joy is receiving that gigantic package in the mail from
your first–choice college.
• Joy is waking to the exaggerated song of a sparrow on
a July morning.
• Joy is doing what you love and earning wages as well–
the perfect job!
• Joy is warm toast spread with juicy strawberry jam or
jelly.
• Joy is a jaunty walk on the beach with a pocketful of
jingle shells and an undamaged piece of jade–colored
sea glass as well.
• Joy is feeling the large, slimy tongue of a huge ginger
giraffe as you feed him cabbage in his cage.
• Can a fly feel joy after being trapped behind a window
and then is finally freed to the outside by a gentle hand?
• Joy is finding contentment and enjoyment at any age.
• Joy is always tangible for you, if you just let it into
your life.
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ANIMALS, ANIMALS,
ANIMALS
Consonant /l/ sound as in lip
Our beautiful Earth is full of millions of species of
animals, living in multiple, diverse locations. Oceans,
jungles, woodlands, and even backyards are loaded with
countless varieties of wildlife. Look at your lawn carefully
and you will locate ladybugs, long caterpillars, and green
leafcutter ants concealed in the grass. Walk for a spell
through a lovely forest and listen carefully to the
delightful calls of meadow larks and cardinals. If you fill
your hand with sunflower seeds and stand quietly in the
woods, little black-capped chickadees may alight and
feed right from your palm. It is quite a marvelous
experience!
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Our oceans are also full of millions of various types of
animals that live in the water. From the colossal blue
whale to the miniscule little goldfish, the seas are teeming
with underwater life that is spectacular to behold.
Lionfish, eels, walruses, sea lions, corals, jellyfish, sea
turtles, salmon, clams, lobsters and mussels are just a few
of the many sea animals you might glimpse when you
explore the ocean.
Jungles are full of many types of animals as well. In Africa,
lions patrol the grasslands, looking for prey and sleeping
with their little cubs. Lanky giraffes pluck tasty leaves
from lofty treetops. Graceful gazelles leap across the
grasslands, avoiding the lions and leopards who are often
trailing them. Hulking elephants lumber across trails,
looking for the nearest water hole for a cooling drink and
a revitalizing shower. Animals are everywhere in our
world, and we should all do our part to shelter and
preserve every species, so that we may enjoy them, while
also allowing each species to thrive and flourish
successfully and continuously.
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SUMMER MAGIC
Consonant /m/ sound as in map
That misty Monday morning, Maria awoke to the
musical sounds of mimicking mockingbirds outside her
bedroom window. She rose and dressed immediately,
musing about the program for the marvelous day ahead.
Maria had plans with her friends Thomas, Gemma and
Matt to go out on Matt’s motorboat. She hadn’t met up
with them since the previous autumn and was very eager
to see them again. Matt had heard rumors of a mysterious
cove only accessible by boat. After meeting at Maria’s
home at 9 am, the four of them ambled down the marshy
path that led to the community marina. The golden
phragmites swayed calmly in the breeze to the music of
the wind. The summer sun had broken through the mist,
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making the water shimmer like dancing diamonds. The
friends climbed into the motorboat and Matt nimbly
moved the boat off the ramp into the murky water. All
were smiling and laughing as they zoomed away to
embark on their mission.
Twenty minutes later, Matt raised the palm of his hand
and motioned towards a slight half-moon bend in the
shoreline. He aimed the motorboat in that direction and
maneuvered it into the most magnificent tiny cove that
they had ever seen. The four friends clambered out of the
boat and took in the marvelous view. Golden sandbars
surrounded them, with a small stream cutting across the
middle of the most massive one. Clams, mussels and
other mollusks were jumbled all over the beach. Seagulls
screamed overhead, as miniscule piping plovers romped
at the margin of the surf. It was truly a magical place and
it was all theirs for that summer morning. After spending
many hours meandering along the sandbars and
examining the cove, Matt, Maria, Gemma and Thomas
had to make their way back home. Tired, but so
animated, they motored back smoothly and comfortably,
dreaming of the next time they would visit their
mysterious, magical cove of enchantment.
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THE BIRD’S NEST
Consonant /n/ sound as in nest
Nori and Ned were newlyweds looking for the perfect
new home. They were meeting with their realtor, Tanner
Randall, at nine o’clock that chilly spring morning to look
at three different houses. The first house was a large
colonial, far above their budget, but very convenient to
town. Nori and Ned liked the lines of the house, but
knew the payments would drain their budget. So onward
they went to the next house.
The second house was a charming cottage on the
outskirts of town. It was old and needed much work, but
was affordable. Behind the cottage was a small pond–nice
to look at but swarming with gnats and mosquitoes. It
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also had an antiquated heating system that didn’t keep
the house warm enough in winter. Nori whispered to
Ned that they would both get pneumonia there if it
wasn’t updated, which would be an enormous expense.
Onward they all went to house number three.
The third house was a newer ranch on a quiet lane that
was not as close to town as the other two homes. As Nori,
Ned and Tanner went up the steps to the front porch,
Nori heard a funny sound coming from the lone
flowerpot sitting there. As she gently pushed aside the
branches of the plant, Nori began to kneel down and saw
a gray and brown mourning dove sitting calmly on a nest
of several eggs. “Oh”, said Nori, “These are my very
favorite birds–so gentle and calm, singing their mournful
songs each morning. I know this must be a sign of luck
about this house,” she whispered to Ned. Sure enough,
the ranch house turned out to be the best house they had
seen, and was well within their budget. Their offer on the
ranch was soon accepted, and Nori and Ned moved into
their new home within weeks. Soon after, the sounds of
the newly hatched baby mourning doves filled the air,
and the couple knew that the luck of the bird’s nest had
helped them find their dream home.
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PICKING THE PERFECT PET
Consonant /p/ sound as in pig
Owning a pet can be a rewarding experience for plenty of
people. Pets bring purpose, companionship, happiness
and also responsibility into our lives. It’s optimal to spend
plentiful time to research specific animals in order to
determine which pet will be perfect for you.
Cats and dogs are probably the most popular pets chosen
by the population. Research has proven that both animals
help to ease stress and lower blood pressure. Cats,
kittens, puppies and dogs can be either adopted or
purchased. Do ample research to plan which breed or
type will appeal to you most and best complement your
lifestyle and personality. You can do your research by
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computer, telephone or through books and photographs.
Pay attention to your capital budget as well–purchasing
and possessing a pet can be an expensive proposition!
Apart from cats and dogs, there are plenty of other types
of pets that can be pleasing. A good starter pet is a betta
fish or a gold fish, both of which require the least possible
care and can be used to prepare even young people for
responsibility. Particular reptiles such as snakes and
iguanas are popular pets as well. Some people even own
pot-bellied pigs as pets, as they are unexpected and
peculiar. The plentiful varieties of birds prove to be
phenomenal pets as well. From chirping canaries, to
perky parakeets, to expressive parrots and even to proud
peacocks with their pretty plumage, the options for pet
bird choices are expansive. No matter which pet you
prefer, just make sure you pick the one perfect for your
personality and lifestyle. Pets can add ample happiness,
pleasure and appreciation to our lives.
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THE SURPRISE
Consonant /r/ sound as in rat
Margery’s alarm rang at 6:30, bright and early one frosty
winter morning on January 10th. She rose rapidly and
quietly to get ready, so as not to rouse her husband
Herbert and their son Barry. She was traveling to the
large department store Macy’s, to perform inventory.
Inventory meant enumerating all the merchandise in the
Housewares Department, where she worked at a parttime job. Inventory was done once in the winter and then
repeated again in the summer. Unfortunately, the winter
inventory was generally done on January 10th, which was
Margery’s birthday. Not a great way to celebrate, she
grumbled to herself.
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Once inventory was over for the day, Margery wearily
drove home. She was grimy, dirty, tired and cranky, and
just wanted a shower and rest. Herbert and Barry greeted
her at the door and hollered, “Hurry up–no time for a
shower–we’re going to a restaurant straightaway!”
“What?!”, protested Margery. “I have no desire to go out–
I really want to remain at home and just relax!” With
considerable persuasion, she grudgingly got into the car,
and continued to grumble and wring her hands during
the entire ride. Even the rhythmic drone of the car motor
was not enough to comfort her. Having had enough of
the grousing, Barry finally said, “Mom, this is terribly
wrong. Please don’t repeat this at my wedding!” With
that, they all had to grin.
The three of them finally arrived at one of their favorite
Chinese restaurants, where Margery discovered her
family and many friends gathered around a large table.
“Surprise!”, they all cheered. The room was brimming
with perfectly wrapped presents and fragrant flowers. The
partygoers had driven from near and far to help Margery
celebrate her red-letter day. What had started out as a
dreary birthday turned into a most wonderful and
memorable celebration that she rhapsodized over for the
entire next year!
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HOW TO USE
THE NEW YORK CITY
SUBWAY SYSTEM
Consonant /s/sound as in sun
One of the best and most efficient ways to get around
New York City (NYC) is by using the extensive subway
system. The subway system can get you to almost any
location in NYC, and has come a long way since the days
of the horse and buggy. There is even a direct stop right
at the Museum of Natural History, where you can see
many wonders of science and our natural world. Here are
some steps to help make your subway travel easier.
1. Whether you are a tourist or a resident, first get
yourself a city map and a subway map. The city map
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will show you a list of locations of subway stations but
not the entire system. For more detailed instructions,
get yourself a subway map. These maps will help you
plan out your trip before you go, both destination and
timewise. Ask a nice station agent for a free subway
map.
2. Purchase a refillable MetroCard through a subway
station MC Vending Machine. They can also be
purchased at other locations, including ticket
machines at Long Island Railroad (LIRR) stations.
The current fare, as of April 2016, is $2.75 per ride,
when using a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard. Additional
amounts on MetroCard are available also. Check
online or with a ticket agent at the station for other
options. Transfers are also available and can be used
on the subway and on NYC buses.
3. Once you have your MetroCard, locate and head
toward the platform where your train will stop. Find a
turnstile near the platform entrance and swipe your
card with the MC name facing toward you quickly, in
one smooth move. When the turnstile screen says
“Go”, walk through the turnstile speedily. Then
proceed to the platform. Assess the overhead platform
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signs and stand near the correct sign indicating your
destination. Don’t stand too close to the tracks for
safety reasons–the trains speed by with the force of a
cyclone! It can be very crowded and busy at times and
seem like a circus, but following these suggestions will
assure your safety.
4. Once the train approaches, look at the front of the train
to make sure it is the one you want. The trains are
labeled with numbers, letters and sometimes colors, so
be aware of which train you need to board. Wait for the
train to come to a complete stop once it arrives and
allow the onboard passengers to egress before you
board. Sit in the first seat you see, if any are available. If
you must stand, be sure to hold tightly and securely to
a pole or overhead bar. The train may make sudden
starts and stops!
5. Although most New Yorkers are courteous and helpful
if you need to ask a question, it’s best to use good
psychology and avoid making unnecessary eye contact
or engaging in conversations with strangers. It just isn’t
considered appropriate.
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6. Be aware of the stops your train is making by observing
the signs on the walls as you pass each stop. It is often
difficult to hear the audio instructions, but still try to
listen carefully to the announcements. Once you have
reached your correct stop, wait for the train to come to
a complete standstill and exit carefully. Watch the gap!
Find the staircase that leads up to the street and enjoy
your adventure in NYC!
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TIM’S TINY TURTLE
Consonant /t/ sound as in top
Tim Tuttle was a first grader at the Tremont Elementary
School. He liked his teacher, Mr. Thomas, who was
patient, smart, and very understanding. Tim also had
many friends in his class, including Tyler, Betty, Tony
and Tamara. One Tuesday morning, all four of his friends
rushed into the classroom to tell Tim that a new pet store
had just opened in town and they had all gotten turtles as
pets. Tim was very excited and wanted a turtle, too. He
decided he would ask his mother to bring him to the pet
store after school so that he could get a turtle, as well.
After school, Mrs. Tuttle brought Tim to the pet store to
look at the turtles. Unfortunately, they only had one left
and it was a very tiny turtle. Tim held back bitter tears
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because it was so small, but his mother assured him that
good things come in small packages and he should get
that turtle, no matter that it was small. So Tim took his
new pet home and promptly named him Tiny.
When Mr. Thomas heard that several of his students had
turtles as pets, he got the brilliant idea to have a turtle
race in the classroom. All the students were very excited!
Mr. Thomas ripped up a big sheet of cardboard with sides
around it so that the turtles would stay in that area. The
turtle race was to be the next morning. Tim was very
worried that Tiny would lose because of his small size,
but again his mother told him not to worry. The next
morning, the turtles were all placed on the starting line,
being held in place by their owners. On the count of
three, the students took their hands away and off went
the turtles. Tony’s turtle was ahead at first, but then he
tripped and fell behind. Betty’s turtle was now in first
place, but suddenly little Tiny got a burst of speed and
took the lead. Tim was cheering him on as Tiny crossed
the finish line first. He picked up his little Tiny, gently
tapped and petted his shell, and told Tiny that he
couldn’t have done any better!
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AVALON
Consonant /v/ sound as in van
Nestled in the quiet village of Stony Brook, NY, lies the
very beautiful Avalon Park and Preserve. Avalon is a
privately owned nature preserve spread out across nearly
70 acres of attractive woodlands. It is free to visitors and
is open from dawn to dusk. The preserve was created by
the Paul Simons Foundation to honor the memory of
Paul Simons, an avid sportsman who enjoyed many
outdoor activities. His family hopes that his vibrant and
creative energy will be remain alive in the spirit of the
preserve.
Avalon invites visitors to view five distinct natural
habitats covered by native plants and trees. Trail maps
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are available at the entrance to Avalon to guide visitors
through the various creatively designed divisions of the
preserve. Tranquil ponds alive with ducks, geese and
swans provide vibrant songs that would make Stephen
Foster proud. Brave velvety-black cormorants arrive in
the spring and entertain visitors by diving into the murky
water to retrieve live fish. Leaving the pavement, visitors
walk along wooden avenues that wind through verdant
plantings of native trees and plants. Wildflower fields
thrive throughout the spring and summer, covered with
clover, violets and a variety of many other lovely flowers.
Vines and shrubs mark the pathways through the
woodlands vicinities, and the brave of heart can make the
climb up to the contemplative labyrinth area. Once there,
observe the heavenly view and clear your mind of all
vexation. For a day of tranquility, relaxation and an
unbelievable connection to nature, you’ve got to visit the
preserve that is Avalon.
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WINTER WONDERLAND
Consonant /w/ sound as in wig
Winter–for workers commuting to work every day,
winter can be challenging. Driving in snow and ice, bitter
cold winds, and weary commuters dealing with public
transit delays can make the season worrisome. Shoveling
driveways and walkways, and cleaning off vehicles can
become tiresome as well.
But…
If we look beyond the negatives of winter weather, we can
enjoy the unique wonder of the season, such as…
• Waking up early and looking out your window at the
brilliant blanket of white that has covered your lawn;
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• Hearing the wild whoops of joyful children throwing
snowballs at each other because they have a snow day;
• Seeing the scarlet red wings of a cardinal sitting
watchfully on a snow-covered telephone wire;
• Putting on warm woolen socks and gloves that you
haven’t worn since last winter to go walk in the snow;
• Watching a choir walk from house to house to sing
holiday carols;
• Quickly sticking out your warm tongue to catch a few
wet snowflakes falling from the sky;
• Taking an evening stroll through wild white woods
and whistling back to a wise old owl perched on a
willow branch–whoo, whoo, whoo!;
• Watching the wind blow the light snow gently around
into swirling twisters in the air;
• Blowing soft, powdery snow off the tops of wilted
flower heads;
• Contemplating the view of lacy snow twirled around
woody tree trunks and wiry branches;
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• Marveling at wondrous icicles as long as your arm
seeming welded to roofs and ledges.
Why not enjoy the wonders of the winter season and take
the inconveniences in stride? For without winter, we
would not be able to welcome the wonderment of the
coming spring!
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YES OR NO
Consonant /y/ sound as in yell
Tanya and Yanni met at a wedding one year earlier.
Tanya was the younger sister of the bride, Yolanda, and
Yanni was the younger brother of the groom, Yogi. They
had never seen each other before, yet developed an
instant bond during that event. They became inseparable
after that and discovered they had many common
interests. Both Tanya and Yanni had graduated from Yale
University and both lived in New York City. Yoga, yoyo
twirling, traveling to exotic places like Yemen and
Guyana, and watching old movies while gobbling up
pizza with onions were some of their favorite things to
do. Both Tanya and Yanni had been yearning for that
special someone and were elated to have found that in
each other.
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After about one year of dating, Yanni decided to ask
Tanya to marry him. He was fairly sure she would say
yes, but what if she said no?! Yanni planned out the
perfect proposal, starting off with finding just the right
engagement ring. He visited several jewelry stores in his
area, but nothing caught his eye. Yanni decided to go
yonder towards the neighborhood of his youth, and
found a shop that had the exact ring he had been
imagining. Hallelujah, yippee, yeah! The shop owner
shared his opinion and Yanni purchased the ring. Before
returning home, he bought a huge bouquet of yellow
yarrow, Tanya’s favorite flower, as well as some onions,
tomato sauce and yeast to make their special pizza. Once
home, Yanni placed the flowers into a vase and tied the
ring onto one of the yarrow stems with yellow yarn,
making sure it faced his seat and not Tanya’s. Tanya
soon arrived home, yawning after a long day at work as a
youth counselor, and said she wanted to eat and then get
to bed early. After they had finished their delicious
dinner, Yanni turned the vase around so that Tanya
could clearly see the ring. She was speechless. Yanni got
down on one knee and asked Tanya to marry him. After
what seemed like an eternity, Tanya smiled at Yanni and
with tears in her eyes said … yes!!!
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SUNRISE AT THE ZOO
Consonant /z/ sound as in zip
Hazy sunlight streamed in zigzags across the bars of the
mighty gorillas’ nighttime enclosure. They stretched and
yawned, knowing that soon breakfast would be served.
They lazily ambled outside for a day in the breezy fresh
air and guzzled down their fruit and water, provided by
their handler Zeke. If they lived in an actual jungle,
perhaps in Tanzania or Zanzibar, instead of the zoo, Zeke
sometimes fantasized that his gorillas might be friends
with the fictional character Tarzan. Tarzan was the
subject of many of author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ famous
stories. Swinging from vines and zooming from tree to
tree, perhaps his gorillas would have amazing adventures
every day!
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In another zone of the zoo, three striped zebras were
zooming out of their enclosure, waiting for their handler,
Lizzy, to groom them before breakfast. Lizzy used a sharp
pair of scissors to trim the bristly manes of the zebras,
who were named Ozzy, Ziggy and Zelda. Once the
grooming was finished, they resumed zipping around
their maze-like enclosure, stopping only to graze on the
tender grass and to swat away the flies that buzzed
around them.
As the sun rose high in the sky, all of the zoo animals
woke from their snoozing, and were prepared for another
day of zealous children and observant adults. Birds were
calling like melodious xylophones, elephants were
trumpeting as they were sprayed on their noses by water
hoses, and crazy monkeys were teasing each other while
swinging from the trees. As anyone who has ever visited a
zoo knows, spending a day with animals of all shapes and
sizes is a very pleasing way to spend a day!
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LUCKY CHARM
Digraph /ch/ sound as in chin
Charlie was charging down the crowded stretch of the
busy street one chilly morning, hoping he would be able
to catch the bus to make it to work on time. He made the
bus just in time, and by chance, just before boarding, he
spied a dime on the ground. Charlie picked it up and
chucked it into the chest pocket of his trench coat. The
bus was very crowded and he began to search for a seat.
Luck was with him and Charlie snatched an empty chair.
He made it to work on time and got to action on the
batch of papers he had left on the bench in his office.
Charlie worked quickly and before long a bunch of his
friends came to question him as to whether he was ready
for lunch.
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He was so busy working, he wasn’t watching the clock for
the time. He stretched his legs and cheerfully went to
lunch with his chums. They went to a nearby Chinese
restaurant, and Charlie hoped they would still have some
of his favorite dish, chicken with chestnuts, cheese and
peaches. Lucky again–he managed to get the last serving,
and they even made it for him without any cheese!
Charlie was so cheerful that he treated all his chums to
lunch using his chip credit card.
Back at work, Chance, who was in charge of Charlie’s
department, called Charlie into his office. Chance
informed him that Charlie had been chosen to be the
chief of a new branch of the office, which also meant a big
raise in pay. Lucky again! As he happily made his way
home, Charlie checked the chest pocket of his trench
coat again, and touched the dime he had found that
morning. What a righteous good luck charm that dime
was, he chuckled to himself. From now on, he would
continue to look for more lucky charm dimes in the
future!
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SHARKS
Digraph /sh/ sound as in ship
Sheila was very excited to hear that her cousin Shawn was
coming to visit her for a short vacation in Shinnecock,
Long Island, NY. Shawn lived in Washington State and
had never seen the Atlantic Ocean. Shawn was excited to
be making the trip and was looking forward to seeing
some sharks in the waters around Shinnecock. He was an
avid shark enthusiast and knew a lot about the various
species of the great fish. Shawn was looking forward to
sharing his knowledge of sharks with Sheila.
When Shawn arrived in NY, he took the train from the
airport to Shinnecock, where Sheila met him at a nearby
station. They got settled in Sheila’s beach shanty and had
a cool drink in the shade outside. “What do you want to
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do first?”, asked Sheila. Shawn shouted that he wanted to
go to the beach right away, so off they went. As they
approached the water, Shawn could hear the crash of the
waves and the smell of the salty air. He asked Sheila if there
were many varieties of sharks in that area, but she replied
that she wasn’t sure. She knew there were small sand sharks
near shore, but felt that the larger types, even Great White
Sharks, were further out in the ocean, and would require a
special trip out on a fishing boat, further from the shore.
They made a plan to take that boat trip the next day.
As they boarded the fishing boat the following morning
and left off the shallow waters, Shawn could hear the crash
of the waves against the boat and felt the shock of the
engines as the machines picked up speed. He felt some
tension, but his excitement soon took over. Shawn knew
that some people hunted sharks for sport, but his
conscience told him it was wrong. After being patient for a
long while, they spotted the fin of a large shark flashing
through the ocean. Then the shark leapt into the air,
causing a great splash. Shawn could barely contain his
excitement! Both Shawn and Sheila agreed it was a very
special day and knew it was a memory that would last a
lifetime!
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SOUTH TO PORTSMOUTH
Unvoiced /th/ sound as in thongs
Voiced /th/ sound as in feather
It was finally summertime and the Smith family of Bath,
England, was excitingly planning where they would go
for their annual vacation. Their big decision was
whether to travel north or south. Their home in Bath is a
famous tourist destination, located in the rolling
countryside of southwest England. Bath is known for its
natural hot springs, 18th century architecture, and for the
renowned Roman-built baths and wonderful museums.
Bath actually became a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 1987, and is a thoroughly wonderful place to live
and visit.
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After doing some online research, Father thought going
south to Portsmouth would be the best choice.
Portsmouth, on England’s south coast, was only about a 2
hour drive from Bath and had many interesting attractions
they would all enjoy. Portsmouth is a port city and naval
base, and is known for its maritime heritage. It is the U.K’s
only island city, located mainly on Portsea Island. Like
Bath, Portsmouth’s history can be traced back to Roman
times. Thea and Theo, the thirteen year old twins, were
both thrilled that there was also the Blue Reef Aquarium,
which was known for its underwater viewing tunnel.
Mother was interested in learning more about Portsmouth’s
famed residents, which included some of her favorite
authors such as Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling and
H.G. Wells. Father was eager to visit the Portsmouth
Historic Dockyard, the D-Day Museum, and the Mary
Rose, a raised Tudor shipwreck. There was something for
everyone in Portsmouth!
The Smith family was thrilled with the decision to vacation
in Portsmouth that summer. They got about to packing, as
they would be leaving early Thursday morning, which was
only three days away. Thea packed her new leather thongs
as her footwear, and Theo was going to wear his new hat
with the thrush feather on it. This would be a thoughtful
and memorable adventure for them all!
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“ WH” QUESTIONS AND
MORE!
Digraph /hw/ sound as in whip
“Wh” words are very important in English, as they are
used in many types of questions.
Who/whom are used for questions about people. Who
has arrived at the door? Tom is at the door. Who wants
pizza? We all want pizza! Who is she sitting next to? She
is sitting next to Ms. Whitman.
What is used for questions about somebody or
something. What is this? This is a battery charger. What
did he say to do? He said to sit down. What did they do?
They went to the store.
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When is used to get information about a time period in
which something happened, or will happen. When will he
arrive? He will arrive at 6 pm. When can we meet? I’m
not free until Saturday. When was the show? The show
was last night.
Where is used to get information on a location. Where do
you live? I live in New York City. Where were the car
keys? The keys were on the table. Where did you go
yesterday? I went to the beach.
Why is used to get information on the reason something
happened. Why is the house locked? Because no one is
home. Why didn’t John stay? Because he had to go to
work. Why didn’t you call me? I didn’t call because my
cell wasn’t charged.
Which is used to get information on a comparison
between two or more similar things. Which headphones
do you prefer? I prefer the cheaper ones. Which river is
the longest? I think it is the Nile. Which subway line
would be faster? The “A”, because it’s an express train.
Whose is used to get information on who owns
something. Whose knapsack is this? It’s mine. Whose
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idea was it? It was Frank’s idea. Whose puppy is that
playing over there? I don’t know.
Don’t confuse “whose” and “who’s” with an apostrophe!
Who’s is the contraction of who is. They are both
pronounced the same, however.
The following is a short story using “wh” words:
Whitey always wanted to be a cowboy, as he loved horses
and being outdoors. Every chance he got, he would go to
the stables to help take care of the horses. Whitey was
lucky, as his best friend Jeff’s father owned the stables.
“What can I do today?”, he’d ask everytime he arrived.
Jeff’s dad, Mr. Whitman would always whistle while he
thought about what Whitey could do. Usually, it would
be to brush, feed, or walk the horses. Whitey loved it all.
The only problem was that everytime Whitey was around
the stables, he would start to sneeze. Oh, great, he
thought. I love horses, but I’m allergic to them! One day,
while feeding the horses their oats (their staple food),
Whitey had a particularly bad allergic reaction. Whitey
worried that he’d have to stop going to the stables.
However, Mr. Whitman, who was working nearby, called
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Whitey to follow him to the chicken coop next to the
horse barn. Whitey started sneezing uncontrollably! Mr.
Whitman said, “Whitey, you’re not allergic to horses, but
you are to chickens!” Or you might be allergic to the
wheat that we feed the chickens. From now on, when
you work with the horses, take them over to the other
side of the farm, which is away from the chicken coops. I
bet that will stop the sneezing.”
As it turned out, that was not just a whim. Mr. Whitman
was right, Whitey was indeed allergic to the chickens. His
father took him to an allergist, who said he was allergic to
birds and fowl. From then on, Whitey never again went
near the chickens while helping it at the stables.
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SING
Digraph /ng/ sound as in wing
MORNING
Ingrid’s alarm began ringing at 6 am that spring
morning. Her favorite artist was singing her favorite
song as the alarm rang. Music–the best way to wake up
in the morning, Ingrid thought! She went to the sink to
brush her teeth and then turned on the shower. As she
showered, Ingrid continued singing the song she had
awoken to. She sang at the top of her lungs, the words
just rolling off her tongue. After dressing and eating a
quick breakfast, Ingrid was out the door and off to her
teaching job.
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AFTERNOON
Ah, finally lunch time. Ingrid’s Kindergarten class had
gone along with her teacher’s aide to the cafeteria, where
they were all singing the tune they were learning in music
class. Ingrid and her gang of friends were sitting outside
in the warm sunshine, eating and chatting. Bees were
buzzing their busy songs amongst the pink flowers near
the picnic tables. Sterling was reading a very long book
about King Arthur and hoping that none of the bees
would sting him. Ingrid and Inga were enjoying the warm
spring sun, while telling each other what things had gone
wrong that morning. Laughing, they both then broke into
a funny song about having a bad day and instantly felt
better. No longer angry, they went back to class when the
bell rang and had the strength to have a more pleasant
afternoon.
EVENING
With her workday over, Ingrid was driving back home,
cheerfully singing along to the car radio. She happily
prepared a light dinner and sat outside to eat. Ingrid
could hear the songs of the frogs croaking in her pond
and of the owls hooting in the nearby woods. She smiled
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and began singing a childhood lullaby softly to herself.
No matter how bad the day, how unpleasant the weather,
or how down she felt, Ingrid knew that all she had to do
to make herself feel better was to... sing!
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TRIP TO THE BANK
Digraph /nk/ as in sink
Frank’s Uncle Hank asked him to go to the bank, as he
was not feeling well. He told Frank exactly what to do, as
Uncle Hank was very organized and liked things done his
way. Frank was happy to be able to help his favorite
uncle.
On the way to the bank, Frank (as usual) started to
daydream and soon realized his mind was a complete
blank regarding his errand. As always, whenever Frank
became nervous he would begin to blink his eyes
uncontrollably. This really stinks, he thought to himself.
Wow! What should I do now? Just as he was on the brink
of panic, he decided to force himself to remain calm and
have something cold to drink. As he drank the pink
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lemonade from his backpack, he tried to recall exactly
what Uncle Hank had asked him to do. He remembered
the money and slips of paper his uncle had given him, so
he thrust his hand into his pocket and yanked out a hunk
of cash, coins, and some pieces of paper. With that, Frank
heard the clink of change hitting the sidewalk and saw a
quarter roll into the gutter. As he stepped off the sidewalk
to retrieve the quarter, a car honked for him to get out of
the street. The car passed, Frank looked both ways, and
he picked up the quarter. He then calmly counted the
money and realized he was ten dollars short. His heart
sank. He knew his uncle wouldn’t spank him, but he felt
very sad, nonetheless.
Frank arrived at the bank, and did everything his uncle
had asked. He plunked the cash, change, and slips of
papers into the teller’s tray and paid attention to make
sure everything was done the way Uncle Hank had asked.
Frank then started for home. All the way, he kept
thinking about the lost ten dollars and what he would say
to his uncle. Frank was in a real funk.
Once he had arrived home, his Uncle Hank rushed to the
door and said, “Frank, I’m so sorry! I made an error and
gave you ten dollars too little. I hope you didn’t think you
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had lost it!” Frank was happy to hear the news that he
hadn’t lost the money and didn’t disappoint his uncle. He
thanked his uncle, feeling really good that he was off the
hook. His uncle said, “Because I made the mistake, I want
you to have the ten dollars that I forgot to give you. Go
and buy yourself something!”
Frank thanked his Uncle Hank again, and ran out to meet
his friends. They would go out for an ice cream and get
their favorite sundaes with the ‘tip’ that his uncle had
generously given to him. Frank was surely out of his funk!
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CONTROLLED VOWELS
THE CIRCUS GIRL
Controlled vowel /ur/ as in bird & hurt
Practically since birth, my cousin Pearl wanted to be in
the circus. Whenever the circus came to town, she
yearned to go. She begged her sister to help convince
their mother to take them. At first my aunt would spurn
the idea, but when Pearl would purr like a kitten, my aunt
would relent and take them. Pearl would rush to get
ready and almost flew like a bird out of the house in
excitement. My aunt just rolled her eyes and hoped that
Pearl would grow out of the “circus stage” and dream
about a different career to pursue.
My uncle, Pearl’s father, was a preacher and my aunt was
a nurse. Both of her parents hoped that Pearl would
choose a career that was more stable than life in the
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circus. Maybe a teacher, lawyer, or nurse like her mother.
But she remained true to her goal of being in the circus.
For her parents, this felt like a curse.
Even though Pearl had been to the circus many times in
the past, she would act surprised by the magician’s tricks,
even though she could probably perform those tricks
herself! She would laugh hysterically at the clown, even
when the jokes were not that funny and everyone else
would just groan. Pearl was plain happy to be there, as the
circus was really her happy place. She dreamed of the day
when she would work there. That is how she got the
nickname “Circus Girl”.
When the rest of the family was really hungry or thirsty,
Pearl wouldn’t rush to go to the hamburger stand. She
did not want anything to eat or drink, but wanted to
continue to enjoy the circus.
The best part of the day for Pearl was the trapeze, which is
what she wanted to do when she was a grown-up. She loved
when the trapeze artists would fly high in the air, walk the
tight rope, jump down, and land lightly on their feet.
Finally, when it was time to leave the circus, Pearl would
burn at the idea of not being able to stay longer. But
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everyone had to get up early the next day to go to church.
The family of the preacher could never miss church! So
Pearl had to come back down to earth and obey her
parents. She left the circus dreaming about the next time
the circus would come to town.
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CONTROLLED VOWELS
GOING FAR IN A CAR
Controlled vowel /ar/ as in park
Americans are very fond of their cars. There are
approximately 276 million cars on American roads, which
is about 3/4 of a car per person! There is nothing like
taking a long car trip on a beautiful day out in the
country. There is much to see in the rural parts of
America. They, of course, are very different than what
you see walking around any of the many congested
American cities. In the country you are likely to see farms,
barns, trees galore (with beautiful bark!), corn on the
cob, and other fruits and vegetables growing everywhere.
Many farms have stands out front, where you can buy
their fresh crops, usually at bargain prices compared with
stores in the cities.
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You will also surely pass small towns with cute houses and
lovely gardens to look at. Some places in the country have
beautiful lakes, streams, and rivers where you might go
fishing. Who knows? If you pack your fishing rod, you may
catch a carp, cod, or bass. Might make for a delicious fish
dinner!
You need to plan well before you take a long car trip. You
must make sure you have enough gas in the tank, water in
the radiator, and air in the tires. It is also a good idea to pack
some snacks and drinks, especially water. A little dark
chocolate would be great, too! Even though most smart
phones have excellent navigation systems, it is fun to bring
an old fashioned paper map, which shows attractions that
may be close-by. If you bring a picnic lunch, you’re sure to
find the perfect place under the shade of a very old tree.
The charm of the country can really be discovered best
when going by car. You can see much more this way than
if you travel by train or bus, where you only see trees, or
highways. Trains and buses usually don’t allow you to see
the many beautiful small cities, towns, and villages.
So the next time you have a day off, take a road trip and
you I’ll be amazed by what you will see and experience.
It’s really fun to go far in a car!
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THE SHORT STORM
Controlled vowel /or/ as in fork
The whole family was sitting on the large back porch of
our home in Fort Lauderdale. I was born there and it was
the only home I knew. At that time, Fort Lauderdale was
a sleepy town twenty-eight miles north of Miami, nothing
like the busy, large city that it is today. Now, there is a
huge airport walking distance from the house and Port
Everglades is also very close-by.
As is common in south Florida, rains come quickly in the
summer and don’t usually last very long. It may rain for
fifteen or twenty minutes, but then the sun comes out as
if nothing had happened. However, this one particular
summer day, which was a real scorcher started out clear
and calm. However, suddenly a storm formed and
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torrential rain started coming down in buckets. It was
almost as if the sky were a huge bottle that someone had
uncorked and a tremendous amount of water fell to earth.
As the storm worsened, the wind kicked in and a giant
gust ripped the roof off of our back porch. Luckily, we
had all been escorted into the house by my father, who
knew this wasn’t a regular storm. This would be record
breaker. Interestingly, the forecast had not predicted
anything out of the ordinary for that day. The force of the
water also cut a large gorge that ran alongside of our
house and all the way down to the street. A small river of
water cascaded into the road.
Regardless of how powerful the storm had been, it proved
to be short, as is the usual pattern in south Florida.
However, all of our corn in the large garden on the side of
the house had been torn out of the ground by the strong
winds. The short storm had done a great deal of damage,
but luckily, the only thing destroyed on the house was the
back porch roof. We temporarily patched it up with
cardboard, and a few days later the workman came and
put on a new roof, restoring it to its former condition.
Days later, the mud had all been cleared from the streets,
and the downed trees had all been chopped up and carted
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away. In fact, the hordes of workmen, who had arrived
from many other states, were good sports and did an
amazing job of getting Fort Lauderdale back in shape.
Life went back to normal, but we often think about that
short storm and how it had temporarily destroyed our
house and yard. Now it’s one of the many memories we
have of our home.
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3 DIPTHONGS
BOING, BOING, BOING
Dipthong /oi/ sound as in oil and boy
Very early one bright and breezy spring morning, Ribbitt
the frog rubbed the winter from his sleepy eyes and
decided to boldly venture outside. He observed that the
snow had melted and in its place were buds of pale green
beginning to burst into bloom on the pond plants. Ribbitt
had slumbered for many months since the fall, as frogs
hibernate to escape the bitter temperatures of winter. He
had slowed his heartbeat and breathing, and lowered his
body temperature to closely match the outside
temperature. But now it was spring and time to venture
out from the bottom of his beautiful blue pond!
Ribbitt felt the bright sun begin to warm his little green
body. He bounced along the pebbles near the edge of the
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pond and thought he would go look for some of his
buddies who lived nearby. He saw his friends Belle and
Bobby, the bickering blue jays who lived behind the
pond. Ribbitt waved hello and bounded off to look for his
best buddy Robert, the box turtle, who lived near the bog.
Robert, too, was awake and was slowly bobbing down the
beach in a deliberate, determined manner. Boing, boing,
boing–Ribbitt bounced quickly to meet up with Robert.
When the two best buddies were beside each other, they
both took a deep breath and basked in the incredible
fresh air. Spring was back and so very enjoyable!
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OWL AT EVENING
Dipthong /ow/ sound as in ouch
Mr. Fowler wiped his brow with a towel and began
dragging his plow toward the barn. He was a farmer and
put in about 12 hours each day in the fields and tending
to his animals. Mr. Fowler had several cows, some goats,
and too many chickens to count. As he was making his
way through the field down to the barn, he heard a
strange sound coming from the woods. Could it be one of
his many cats meowing while it chased a mouse? No, the
sound seemed to come from above and not from the
ground. He put the plow into the barn and went back
outside to investigate.
As Mr. Fowler made his way south towards the woods, a
light snow fell like powder all around him. Once again, he
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heard the same strange sound. Could it be one of his
cows? No, he thought, they’re all in the barn. He heard
the howl of a dog in the distance, but knew that couldn’t
be the sound he had heard. All of a sudden the sound
grew closer, and this time, Mr. Fowler looked up into the
trees. There on a huge pine bough, sat a proud brown
owl. Ah, thought Mr. Fowler, I have found the source of
that strange sound. The owl looked at the farmer, opened
his large mouth and hooted once again, before opening
his powerful wings and flying off the bough. Mr. Fowler
shouted goodbye to the owl and left the woods, bound
for home. He was happy the mystery sound had been
found and was ready for a relaxing evening at home now.
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LEARNING TO COOK
Dipthong /oo/ as in book and pull
It is surely a good thing for everyone to learn how to
cook. Many years ago, only women were cooks and men
would shy away from the kitchen. Things have changed
and now many men can cook and some of the most
famous cooks (and chefs!) in the world are men.
If someone wants to learn to cook, there are many
cookbooks available for that purpose. These books list
ingredients you will need and contain instructions on
how much of each ingredient is necessary, how long
something should be cooked and at what temperature. It
isn’t magic and, anyone who wants to, can learn to cook,
even if they say, “Oh, I can’t even boil water!”
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Another way to learn to cook is to watch YouTube
videos. Almost anything you can think of to cook has
been posted as a video on YouTube. It would also be a
good idea to first watch the video all the way through and
take notes about ingredients, amounts of each to use,
time, temperature, etc. After you have assembled the
ingredients, watch the video again while you cook, and
pause the video as necessary.
Cooking is great for social gatherings, as many an enjoyable
evening can be had over a home-cooked meal. However,
before you cook something for friends, make sure you have
already cooked and tasted it! If you like it, there’s a much
better chance that your friends will, too! It’s a very bad idea
to try out an untested recipe on guests!
Some helpful advice for being a good cook is to be very
organized:
1. Keep your cooking utensils where they are easy to
reach;
2. Put things back in the same place every time.
3. Pay close attention to the instructions given in the
recipe.
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4. Read recipes multiple times as you cook, so that you
don’t make mistakes.
Also, if you make any dish outside on the BBQ, make sure
not to get any soot on the food. That would be yucky!
If you have any desire to learn to cook, you should do it.
It can be a wonderful hobby, and if you’re successful, it
can be very delicious, too!
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128
2 SPECIAL SOUNDS
NAUGHTY PAUL
Special sound /-aw/ as in jaw and haul
Of all my friends, Paul is the only one with the nickname
“Naughty”. It wasn’t that he was a bad kid, but he was
just... uh, naughty! He would go where he shouldn’t go,
do what he shouldn’t do, and ALWAYS got caught! He
wasn’t good about getting away with things like other
naughty kids were. His parents, teachers and friends
always found out about his mischief and Paul was forever
getting into trouble.
Even though his parents tried to get him to talk softly in
public places, he would always use a loud voice and
someone would tell him to be quiet. Of course, he balked
at this because he really liked to talk!
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One time, on a school field trip to a museum, Paul
crawled under a display case in order to hide and scare his
classmates, but he triggered the alarm. Of course, Paul
got caught and spent the rest of the day in the office of
the museum director, who was not happy.
One day when his mother was doing the laundry, she
noticed that Paul had drawn pictures all over his brand
new T-shirt. She wasn’t happy with Paul when the
pictures did not come out in the wash, as he had used a
permanent marker! His ‘pictures’ were really just ugly
doodles, and the new shirt became a dusting cloth.
Paul’s father also got angry with Paul the day he took us
to a nearby lake in order for us to launch our new
model boats. Everything was going smoothly until Paul
got the not-so- bright idea to light a firecracker and put
it in his boat. Well, because the firecracker had a long
fuse, it didn’t go off until the boat was 30-40 feet out in
the lake. All of a sudden, the firecracker exploded and
made a hole in the bottom of Paul’s new, remote
control boat. It slowly sank to the bottom of the lake
while we helplessly watched. Paul’s father had steam
coming out of his ears!
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The dinner table was another place that Paul would act
naughty. When his mother served him his dinner, he
would claw at his food like an animal and gnaw the meat
like a tiger. Although he was just trying to be funny, no
one was laughing.
Well, it’s been a long time since those days when Paul was
naughty, and Paul is all grown up and is now a lawyer.
Even though he no longer does any of those things, his
friends still call him by his nickname... Naughty Paul.
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132
2 SPECIAL SOUNDS
A TRIP TO ASIA
Special sound /zh/ as in television
When the wonderful news came to Brigitte and Jacques
of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that their second
granddaughter, Anastasia, had just been born, they were
overcome with explosions of joy. They quickly made
revisions to their usual travel plans and booked a trip to
Asia. Anastasia had been born in Da Nang, Vietnam. Da
Nang is a coastal city in central Vietnam on the South
China Sea. The area is famous for its azure water beaches,
the Marble Mountains and many beautiful Buddhist
shrines. Vietnam is an interesting and most pleasurable
place to visit and/or live in. Jacques and Brigitte made the
decision to leave as soon as their visas were processed.
They packed some casual and dressy clothes, as well as
many presents for the baby.
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Their family and friends wished them a bon voyage and
off they flew to Asia.
The trip was a very long one, with a lay-over in Seoul,
Korea, plus another flight to Da Nang. Despite the
lengthy journey and airport confusion, the new
grandparents spent their time trying to visualize how
their new grandchild would look. Although Brigitte and
Jacques were Caucasian and Anastasia was Asian, it made
no difference to them. She would be their little treasure!
When the couple finally arrived at the Da Nang Airport,
they were met by their son and an entourage of other
family and friends. What a welcome! They drove to the
large family home in a beige van and entered through a
large garage door. Waiting at the rouge colored entrance
for them was their daughter-inlaw holding tiny Anastasia.
Brigitte and Jacques nearly had a collision with each
other trying to hold the baby first! Cradling precious
Anastasia in her arms, Grandma Brigitte kissed her soft
black hair and looked into her bright dark eyes.
“Anastasia is such a long name for such a tiny girl. I will
call you Zsa Zsa,” declared Brigitte. It was a memorable
and joyful occasion for them all!
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